Medical needs of people with intellectual disability require regular reassessment, and the provision of client- and carer-held reports

• Published in: Journal of intellectual disability research Vol. 47; no. 2; pp. 134 - 145
• Main Authors: Kerr, A. M., McCulloch, D., Oliver, K., McLean, B., Coleman, E., Law, T., Beaton, P., Wallace, S., Newell, E., Eccles, T., Prescott, R. J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Science Ltd 01.02.2003; Blackwell; Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Auditory Tests; Biological and medical sciences; Caregivers; Case Records; Client held medical records; client-held records; Eye Movements; Female; Health Needs; Health Services Needs and Demand - statistics & numerical data; hearing; Humans; Intellectual Disability; Intellectual Disability - psychology; Learning disabled people; Male; medical needs; Medical Records; Medical sciences; Medical Services; Medical treatment; Mental health; Middle Aged; Needs assessment; Needs Assessment - statistics & numerical data; Nursing; Observation; Organization of mental health. Health systems; Professional Training; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Public Relations; Reading Ability; Scotland; Social psychiatry. Ethnopsychiatry; Time Factors; Vision; United Kingdom; Europe; Scotland; Human; Hearing; Vision; Mental health; Intellectual deficiency; Developmental disorder; Health service; Mental retardation; Public health; User need
• ISSN: 0964-2633; 1365-2788
• DOI: 10.1046/j.1365-2788.2003.00453.x

Background  Previous work has indicated a wide range of unmet medical health needs in people with intellectual disability (ID). Methods  A profile of recorded medical needs was produced for 589 people with ID through a detailed search of individual medical and nursing case records. Specialist optometric and audiological assessments were offered, and reports were provided in technical and plain English terms. A Health Watch project delivered folders with copies of the plain English reports to 60 individuals and carers. Results  The case record review indicated a wide range of medical disorders; however, exact diagnoses and counselling regarding underlying neurological conditions were seldom recorded. Assessed levels of hearing and vision loss were much greater than had been previously recognized. The Health Watch reports were welcomed by the clients and carers. Conclusions  If satisfactory healthcare is to be achieved for people with ID, medical needs must be monitored, regular specialist reassessments offered, access to specialist services facilitated and reports clearly explained to carers.